Update: T20 World Cup LIVE: Rutherford, Holder eye 250 for Windies in Mumbai
West Indies pile on the large runs - We were all thinking that we might see a score of above 250 or even 300, given the T20 Globe Cup is being held in India, in conditions favorable to the batters, but the highest team total, the first two had until now, came in Sri Lanka.
The Windies almost rewrite history - West Indies just loving playing at Wankhede. They have now gone on to score the biggest total of this year's T20 Globe Cup so far, beating Ireland's 235/5 against Oman in the initial group stage. Only the second time in the history of the competition that a team has surpassed the 250-run mark. The highest total still remains with Sri Lanka, who scored 260 against Kenya in the inaugural edition. The smaller boundaries didn't do Zimbabwe any justice but they didn't do much justice to themselves with a couple of crucial dropped catches.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, FOUR! 18 from the final over. Length ball, wide of off. Rutherford goes after it with a full-blooded slash, gets a thick outside edge, and it flies over backward point, and races away to the fence. WEST INDIES FINISH STRONGLY ON 254/6.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, Large swing and a miss! Keeps it away from the hitting zone, full and outside off, Sherfane Rutherford looks to spank it downtown, but fails to put his bat on the ball.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, WIDE! Tries the wide yorker, but pushes it beyond the tramline, outside off, Sherfane leaves. 250 UP FOR WEST INDIES!
Blessing Muzarabani to Matthew Forde, On a length outside off, the off-cutter grips a touch. Forde shuffles across, clears the front leg and swings hard, but only manages to drag it off the inside half to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Matthew Forde is the new batter.
Blessing Muzarabani to Jason Holder, OUT! TAKEN! Pace off does the trick for Blessing Muzarabani. He bowls a slower one, into the pitch, on off. It lands, bounces and nips away from the right-hander. Jason Holder is too early into the shot, attempting to slap it over the off side with a cross batted angle, but gets outfoxed due to lack of pace. Plays a half hearted shot down towards long off. The ball dips in front of Tony Munyonga but he dives in front to scoop the ball before the grass.
Blessing Muzarabani to Jason Holder, SIX! POWERFUL! Short in length, on off, at a comfortable height for the towering Jason Holder. He stands tall, clears the front leg to give himself some room and heaves it powerfully over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. Holder is winning the 'battle of the giants', thus far.
Blessing Muzarabani to Jason Holder, SIX! STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW! Tries the yorker, but it lands as a juicy half volley, on middle. Jason Holder goes deep inside the crease to set a good base for himself and smokes it downtown for a cracking six.
Richard Ngarava to Sherfane Rutherford, SIX! Sails just over the fielder in the deep. Ngarava slips in a low full toss at knee height, outside off. Sherfane Rutherford lofts it with superb timing and clears the leaping deep cover fielder for a six. 20 runs from the penultimate over and this is now the second-highest score in the history of Men's T20 World Cups.
Richard Ngarava to Jason Holder, Slower bouncer, on top of off, angling into the batter. Holder stands tall and pulls it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for a single.
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The next batter is in. It is Jason Holder in at number 7. Also, Sikandar Raza is currently off the field, icing his fingers, which seem to have swollen up a bit. Not a good sign for Zimbabwe because they will, in all likeliness need him with the bat. It seems like Ryan Burl is the acting skipper for Zimbabwe at the moment.
Richard Ngarava to Romario Shepherd, OUT! HIGH IN THE AIR AND GONE! Wicket number 2 for Richard Ngarava. He bowls it full and on the stumps. Romario Shepherd tries to pump it downtown for another biggie, but does not manage to get his bat under the ball properly. Goes through the shot, slicing it off the toe end. The ball kisses the moon and descends towards the long off fielder where Ryan Burl has to wait for an eternity to take the catch. He takes it around his right thigh. A quickfire cameo comes to an end from Romario Shepherd. West Indies are 229/5.
Richard Ngarava to Romario Shepherd, SIX! It's raining sixes at the Wankhede! Ngarava goes pace off, full and on off, from around the stump. Romario Shepherd waits for it and launches it powerfully over the long off fence for an enormous six.
Richard Ngarava to Romario Shepherd, SIX! Brute force! Richard angles it outside off, on a shortish length. Romario Shepherd slashes it aerially and the ball sails wide and over deep third for one more six. This time, it is just 62 meters.
Richard Ngarava to Sherfane Rutherford, An attempted yorker, on middle, Sherfane Rutherford slices it out through backward point for a run.
Brad Evans to Romario Shepherd, Yorker at pace, outside off, Romario Shepherd tries to carve it away to the off side, but inside edges it onto the boots as the ball rolls on the pitch. Top over at this stage of the match.
Brad Evans to Romario Shepherd, SIX! Effortless! Evans goes pace off, on off, on a good length, Romario Shepherd clears the front leg, waits for the ball to arrive and bludgeons it cleanly over long on for another half a dozen. 94 METERS!
Brad Evans to Romario Shepherd, A sharp bumper, just outside off, Romario Shepherd is hurried for the pull shot and misses to connect.
Brad Evans to Romario Shepherd, Pace off, on a length, Romario tries to pull, but inside edges onto the pads.
Brad Evans to Sherfane Rutherford, Back of a length, on middle, Sherfane cuts it to deep backward point for a single.
Brad Evans to Romario Shepherd, Nails the yorker in, on off, Romario Shepherd jams the bat down in the nick of time and gets an inside edge to the leg side, to the backward square leg region. Shepherd does not realise where the ball is and charges late, seeing Rutherford sprinting for a single. The keeper collects the ball and throws it to the bowling end, but misses and Shepherd gets in with a dive.
Brad Evans (3-0-38-1) returns to the attack.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, SIX! Geez, that's a significant hit! A touch short, on leg, Sherfane Rutherford picks the length in a trice, gets on the back foot, and pulls it massively behind deep square leg for a six. A wicket and 14 runs from Blessing's third over.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, FOUR! Such a nice shot! Wide on off, on a good length, Sherfane Rutherford stays put, lets his hands do it all. Reaches for it and cuts it to deep backward point for a cracking four. Quick hands from Rutherford. 200 comes up for West Indies now.
Blessing Muzarabani to Romario Shepherd, Around off, on a length, jags back in. Romario Shepherd arches back and uses the pace to guide the ball to deep third for a single.
Blessing Muzarabani to Romario Shepherd, WIDE! A bit too straight down leg, full in length, Shepherd gets across, tries to whip it to the leg side, but misses.
Blessing Muzarabani to Sherfane Rutherford, On a hard length, on off, Sherfane steers it to deep point's left for a single.
Blessing Muzarabani to Romario Shepherd, Well-directed short ball, at shoulder height, Romario pulls it to deep backward square leg for a run.
There's the answer as Blessing strikes on the very first ball of his new spell. Romario Shepherd is the next batter in at number 6.
Blessing Muzarabani to Rovman Powell, OUT! TAKEN! Musekiwa finally holds on to one now. Blessing Muzarabani strikes right after returning to the attack. He hits the hard length, on middle, nips back in from the pitch. Rovman Powell swivels on the back foot and tries to pull over deep square leg, but mistimes it due to the pace and bounce. It sails to the left of Tashinga Musekiwa who runs in that direction, almost overruns but manages to stay calm and takes it with a reverse cup. West Indies are 194/4.
Blessing Muzarabani (2-0-10-0) is finally back into the attack. Did Zimbabwe make a mistake by holding back two of his overs for the death phase? Let's find out.
Sikandar Raza to Sherfane Rutherford, FOUR! The extra ball costs Raza! He pushes this through quicker, short and around off. Sherfane Rutherford uses the width on offer, gets his hands through the shot and carves it past extra cover for a boundary. 50 up for Raza.
Sikandar Raza to Rovman Powell, Dragged back, on middle, Rovman Powell moves back and flat-bats it to long on for one. Uh, oh! The siren goes off and Raza has overstepped here. No Ball called and a Free Hit is up next.
Sikandar Raza to Rovman Powell, Fires this one full and outside off, angling away. Rovman Powell looks to swing it down the ground but fails to reach it.
Sikandar Raza to Sherfane Rutherford, Drops it short and outside off, Sherfane Rutherford cuts it away to deep point for another run.
Oh, no, no, no! Sikandar Raza has taken a fiery blow and thankfully, he managed to get his hands in front of his face. However, the way the ball hit the fingers, it was nasty. Rovman Powell has a quick check on him, after which the physio comes out as well. Eventually, Raza is fine to get back to proceedings and complete the over but the two fingers at the end of his left hand are taped up now.
Sikandar Raza to Rovman Powell, Oh...that must have hurt! A low full toss, on middle, Rovman Powell thrashes it really hard down the pitch. It travels so fast that Raza could only get his left hand up and the ball deflects away towards long off. They cross. Good to see Powell going up to Raza and showing some concern.
Sikandar Raza to Rovman Powell, SIX! There is no stopping Rovman Powell! Sikandar Raza bowls this with the low-arm action, full and around leg. Powell gets his front leg out of the way and smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.
Sikandar Raza to Sherfane Rutherford, Arm ball, shortish and angling into leg, Sherfane Rutherford works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.
Sikandar Raza (2-0-37-0) is back on.
Graeme Cremer to Sherfane Rutherford, Slows it up, shortish and on middle, Sherfane Rutherford stays back and clips it to deep square leg for one more.
Graeme Cremer to Rovman Powell, Flatter, full and outside off, Rovman Powell drills it to sweeper cover for one.
Graeme Cremer to Sherfane Rutherford, Shorter and on leg, Sherfane Rutherford moves back and nudges it through square leg for a run.
Hetmyer goes out and in walks Sherfane Rutherford at number 5.
Graeme Cremer to Shimron Hetmyer, OUT! TAKEN! Graeme Cremer finally gets the much-needed breakthrough for Zimbabwe. End of a mammoth partnership, 122 runs off just 52 balls. Cremer tosses up a googly, full and on middle, does not turn much. Shimron Hetmyer comes down the track to heave it across the line, but plays for the turn in and ends up hitting it from the inner half of the bat. It flies wide of deep mid-wicket, where Brian Bennett runs to his left, dives and takes his second fantastic catch of the game. Hettie departs for a fabulous 85 off 34, and to a huge applause from the Mumbai crowd.